Anchoring device for buoyant life saving equipment

ABSTRACT

This invention is concerned with life saving equipment. The instant characteristics of many vessels has led to loss of life. In accordance with the invention a buoy is provided with mooring means for securing buoyant life saving equipment to the buoy. The buoy is mounted on a vessel and is secured to it by a securing line which is wound on a cable drum permitting the line to pay out and the buoy to surface when the vessel sinks. The vessel provides an anchor for the buoy and hence the life saving equipment to prevent its dispersal.

United sees Patent Higgs I [54] ANCHORING DEVICE FOR BUOYANT- LIFE SAVING EQUIPMENT e [72] Inventor: William York 'Higg s, Gibsons,

British Columbia, Canada [73] Assignee: Star Lifeline Limited, North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada [22] Filed: June 18, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 47,312

30 4 Foreign ApplicationPriorlty Data oet.16,1969

s2 u.s.c1 1..., ..9/9- 1 51 1m.c1...... .;..B63 21/s2 .[58] FieldofSeareh, ..9/9,.10,8.5; 1l4/l6.5,77A

[56] 4 References Cited v 'UNlTED'STATES PATENTS 2,470,783 .5/1949 Mead ..9/9 1,811,014 6/1931 Canada .m ..65,037

Kerwin ..9/9

[151 4 3,703,736 1451 Nov. 28, 1972 Rust .Q.....9/10

6/1888 3,374,494 3/1968 Hunley ..9/9 651,319 6/1900 Abraham ..9/10 2,783,731 3/1957 Wilhelm ..9/9 1,091,860 3/1914 Miner ..9/8.5

Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix Attomey-Stevens, Davis, Miller & Mosher 57 ABSTRACT This invention is concerned with life saving equipment. The instant characteristics .of many vessels has led to loss of life. In accordance with the invention a buoy is provided with mooring means for securing buoyant life saving equipment to the buoy. The buoy is mounted on a vessel and is secured to it by a secur- 1 ing linewhich is wound on a cable drum permitting the line to pay out and the buoy to surface when the vessel sinks. The vessel provides an anchor for the buoy and hence the life saving equipment to prevent its dispersal.

11 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEB um! 28 I972 3 I 7 03. 7 3 6 SHEET 6 0F 6 "'1 vANCI-IORING DEVICE FOR BUOYANT LIFE SAVING EQUIPMENT This invention relates 'to an anchoring device for buoyant life saving equipment. I

, The general use of small steel hulled vessels such as tugs and trawlers has created a serious hazard because of the instant sinking characteristics of these vessels. Since January i958, there have been 34 deaths caused by the sinking of the tugs on theBritish Columbia coast alone. Twenty-nine of these deaths are believed to have been due largely to the instant sinking characteristic of the tugs. Suddenly,- and perhaps at night, thecrew find themselves in the water. Typically, there has been no time to send a distress call. The-buoyant life saving equipment becomes scattered, overturned or broken up, as is shown bythe fact that there are numerous examples of boats, life rafts and other buoyant equipment being recovered either damaged or intact, but empty. Under the above conditions the chances of the threw for survival decrease greatly. In'the case of passenger vessels the foregoing condition is greatly magnified.

If the wind is on-shore, conditions are rough and the coast is steep. and untenable, as is the case in many areas on the west coast of Vancouver Island and elsewhere, the survivors face almost'certaindestruction in rafts which cannot be kept off shore under such con- I ment and cold occurs before the survivors are located. The personal experience of the inventor in conducting searches on behalf of underwriters and owners indicates that the scattering'of survivors is one of the greatest causes of loss of life at sea. 7

Another personal experience of the inventor illus trates what must often happen though usually the outcome is less happy. While master plying the West Coast of Vancouver Island in l9 29.we were towing a barge and were approximately three miles off shore. A 20 knot westerly wind was blowing with moderate sea and heavy swell running. We became aware that a heavily loaded fishpacker was sinking about 3 miles to windward. We therefore dropped our tow and proceeded towards the packer. Halfway to her we met her hatch cover and hatch boards and other deck equipment. The packer disappeared from view when we were about a mile from her and then we met her skiff and buoyancy raft sailing down wind with no one aboard. A few minutes later we picked the whole crew out of the ocean. No distress call had been sent.

This invention is based on the idea of using the wreck as an anchoring device for the buoyant life saving equipment. A buoy is connected to the vessel by a between the buoy and the vesseL-Mooring means such as a continuous rail is provided on the buoy so that the buoyant life saving equipment can be secured to it.

, Preferably a I light and electronic beeper are automatically actuated upon the release of the buoy from the vessel. A radar reflector can also be included. It is particularly advantageous to provide buoyant ropes which trail out from the buoy to facilitate survivors establishing contact with it.

When there is an instant sinking the light on the buoy will provide a rallying point. This is important because of the confusion at such times. If a survivor has been able to reach a raft or boat he can moor it to the buoy. Survivors who have not reached a raftor boat can hold on to the mooring rail of the buoy until one of the others can bring a raft or boat to the buoy. The floating ropes will trail out and assist survivors in reaching the buoy. All buoyant equipment may secure to mooring lines or to the mooring rail.

The survivors on buoyant equipment moored to the buoy which is in turn anchored to the wreck will be in a permanent and collected position where they can readily be located by rescuers. They will not be driven out to sea or on to inhospitable shores at the whim of the wind and the seas. Fatigue and exposure to the elements will be minimized. v

I The radar reflector, light and electronic beeper will assist speedy rescue. Furthermore, the very assembly of the buoyant equipment will'make it easier for rescuers to locate the survivors.

The anchoring buoy will have a sea anchor effect in heavy weather, which is highly beneficial, minimizing the chance of swamping or upset.

Another not inconsiderable advantage is the opportunity for encouragement and leadership where the survivors have been collected to a single rallying point. Furthermore, a continuous distress call can be emitted from such rallying point.

In the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment of this invention:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view showing a sunken ship and illustrating the use of this invention for anchoring life saving equipment to such sunken ship; I

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of a tug upon which a life saving-buoy in accordance with this invention is FIG. 8 is a detail elevation view illustrating the mounting for a buoy in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 9 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an elevation perspective view illustrating a further embodiment of this invention.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a sunken ship 10 which, through line 1 l, acts as an anchor for buoy l2. Lifeboats l3, inflatable rafts 14 and raft 15 are secured by lines 16 to buoy 12. FIG. 1 illustrates the buoyant equipment secured to other items of buoyant equipment in a series and finally lifeboat 13 linked by line 16 to buoy 12. It will, however, be appreciated that buoyant equipment l3, l4 and 15 can be connected directly to buoy l2.

FIG. 2 illustrates a typical small steel tug boat of the type the rapid sinking of which has been responsible for the loss of many lives. The tug generally indicated at has buoy 12 supported on rack 13 which is mounted on the wheel house. A conduit pipe 21 to house steel cable 14 leads from belled ferrule 25 on top deck 26 to block 22. Ferrule 25 is positioned directly below the center of buoy 12. Cable 14 is secured to reel shaft 24, and spooled on reel drum 23. It goes over block 22 and up conduit 21, to pass through ferrule 25. Buoy 12 can be secured to rack 13 in the manner described below. The slack in cable 14 can be taken up on reel 23. Cable 14 is appropriately tensioned and the spring loaded brake on reel 23 is adjusted so as to be ready for operation. This brake is adjusted so that the buoy will freely pull the cable slack in a controlled manner. It will drift with the survivors until they have a chance to attach the mooring lines.

FIG. 3 shows the buoy 12 in greater detail. The buoy has a main body portion 30 which is preferably mainly filled with cellular buoyant material. Body 30 may be square when considered in plan view or of any desired shape. A continuous mooring rail 31 encircles body 30 and is secured to it by supports 32. This mooring rail is of a substantial nature and of sufficient strength to moor the life boats and life rafts even under stormy conditions. On top of body 30 there is an upwardly extending duct 33 supported by stays 34. A reflector 35 and automatic light 36 and radio antenna 37 are located at the top of duct 33. Duct 33 provides a conduit for wires leading to light 36 and to radio antenna 37. A water tight hatch 38 is bolted in position by bolts 39 and leads to a space 40 for electrical equipment. Such equipment may be arranged in the simple circuit illustrated in FIG. 4 in which battery 41 is controlled by switch 42 and energizes light 36 and electronic signalling device 43. Signalling device 43 emits an emergency beep signal. As illustrated in FIG. 3 switch 42 can be a manual switch mounted on hatch 38 and connected by a break-away pull cord 44 to the supporting rack 45 for the buoy. Accordingly when the buoy is released from its supporting rack, switch 42 will automatically be closed so as to switch on the signal light and the electronic signalling device. In case of mechanical failure or if there is time to commence sending a signal before the ship sinks then switch 42 can be worked manually.

Rack 45 is mounted on angle steel lugs 46 which are bolted by bolts 47 to the top deck. Rack 45 has slanting sides 48 so that the buoy will not jam if the sinking ship lists.

There is a central recess 50 in the main body 30. Recess 50 is bridged by securing bar 51 to which line 11 is connected.

Belled ferrule 25 projects slightly into the securing recess 50 so that water coming down the deck or dripping off the underside of the buoy will not go down the conduit pipe. The belled end also avoids the cable chafing when the line is out.

Mooring ropes 52 are joined to mooring rail 31 and are held coiled by ripcord 53 which is joined at 54 to rack 48. Mooring ropes 52 have small colored floats 55. When the buoy becomes detached from the rack, mooring ropes 52 stream out to assist the survivors in reaching the buoy. Mooring ropes 52 are buoyant ropes but these are not easy for a swimmer to see and therefore floats 55 assist in making the position of the rope visible. Attachment of boats and bouyancies is also facilitated.

In the case of some vessels and depending also on the design of the buoy and its location on the vessel, it may not be necessary to lash the buoy in place. It will remain in position on the rack and float free if the vessel sinks. It will, however, sometimes be desirable to avoid any possibility of the buoy becoming accidentally detached. Accordingly, a length of webbing 56 can be passed over the main body 30 of the buoy and secured to a hydrostatic release valve 58. Hydrostatic release valve 58 is shackled at 57 to the side 48 of the rack. This hydrostatic release may be of the Cory type or of any other standard design. When a predetermined depth such as ten or fifteen feet is reached the hydrostatic pressure of the water will cause the release to open so that the buoy will float free. If the hydrostatic release 58 does not include provision for manual release 59 then it is desirable to include a manual release such as a senhouse slip which could conveniently be located on the side of body 30 opposite to the hydrostatic release.

FIG. 5 illustrates in more detail duct 21 through which line 11 passes. At the top end of duct 21 there may be a belled ferrule 25. A locking nut 61 acts on packing washer 62. Duct 21 extends down through top deck 26 and through lower deck 64. Straps 65 secure it to bulkhead wall or pillar 66. Pulley 22 is in closed cheek block 67 and guides cable 11 to reel drum 23.-As shown in detail in FIG. 6 reel drum 23 is a simple reel consisting of wire drum 70 journalled in anti-friction bearings 71 and 72. A brake band 73 as illustrated in FIG. 7 provides for the controlled paying out of the line wound on drum 70. Brake band 73 is secured at one end to reel frame 74 and at its other end a flange 75 is formed. Stud 76 passes through flange 75 and supports upper and lower springs 77 and 78. Lock nut 70 is threaded to the end of stud 76.

FIG. 10 illustrates an additional embodiment which provides for an oil bag containing an appropriate oil such as a mixture of linseed oil and turpentine. Oil bag 80 is joined by securing strap 81 to the main body of the buoy. A vented plug or cap 82 is at the upper end of the oil bag, the neck of which is permanently secured by strap or wire 83 to the underside of mooring rail support 32. At the extreme bottom of the oil bag is incorporated a composite boss 84 through which projects internally a stainless steel wire needle-valve 85 of fine gauge. The wire needle-valve is permanently secured to the side 48 of the rack. When the ship sinks the needle pulls out of the boss in the oil bag allowing the oil to slowly leak out of the top or the bottom of the oil bag in accordance with the depth which the oil bag submerges in the water. In this way there will be no chance of malfunction. The specification of the oil used will be such as to be harmless to human beings. The small amount of oil released over a considerable time will eliminate sharp or steep seas leaving a smooth rolling swell thereby greatly aiding the guidance of buoyant life saving equipment to the buoy.

Much of the loss of life at sea occurs near the coastline and on the continental shelves of all countries where the depth rarely exceeds three thousand feet. A

moderately sized buoy can lift this wire with good freeboard. The length of the wire mooring cable and the size of the buoy will be calculated to conform to the class of ship on which it is to be used having regard to soundings in the geographical area for which the ship is designed and in which she customarily trades.- Three thousand feet will be entirely adequate for a very high proportion of conditions.

An incidental advantage of the invention is that after the prime purpose as an anchoring device for buoyancy life saving equipment has been fulfilled, the buoy will I act as a marker buoy bywhich the exact position of the wreck may be ascertained thus facilitating salvage of a the ship. The cable would become a shot-line or guide line for the use of divers, diving bells or mini-submarines during salvage operations. It is considered by the inventor that particularly in the case of coastal ships, marine under-writers will reduce their premiums on vesselsequipped with this device. The saving so accruedduring the normal life of a ship would be considerable and would pay for the device, installation and maintenance many times over.

lclaim: I 1. An anchoring device for life rafts or life boats comprising a buoy, mooring means on said buoy of adequate strength tosecure said life raft or life boat to said buoy, a securing line connected to said buoy, a cable drum for said securing line interiorly located in a substantially sealed body, a brake to provide for the controlled paying out of the securing line, means defining an opening to permit said securing line to pass from the cable drum to the exterior of said body, said buoy being releasable from said vessel when said vessel sinks,

buoyant ropes have floats attached to their outer ends.

3. An anchoring device as in claim 1 including a hold down means connected between said buoy and the vessel on which the buoy is mounted and a hydrostatic release adapted to disconnect said hold down means when the buoy has been submerged to a predetermined depth. 7 g i 4. An anchoring device as in claim '1 including a light on the buoy and means for automatically switching on said light upon the separation of the buoy from the vessel on which it is mounted.

5. An anchoring device as in claim 1 including an automatic signalling device and means for energizing said automatic signalling device automatically upon the separation of the buoy from the vessel upon which it is normally mounted.

6. An anchoring device as in claim 1 including a radar reflector mounted on the buoy. I

7. An anchoring device as in claim 1 in which there is a belled ferrule at the upper end of said conduit in which there is a recess in the bottom of said buoy and in which the belled ferrule projects into said recess to minimize water entering the conduit pipe and minimize cable wear.

8. An anchoring deviceas in claim 1 in which said mooring means is a contjnuousrail. -9. An anchoring device as in claim 1 in which the securing line is approximately 3,000 feet in length.

10. An anchoring device as in claim 1 in which said buoy is mounted on a rack having upwardly diverging slanting sides to avoid the buoy jamming if the sinking ship lists.

11. An anchoring device for life rafts or life boats comprising a buoy, mooring means on said buoy of adequate strength to secure said life raft or life boat to said buoy, a securing line connected to said buoy, a cable drum for said securing line interiorly located in a substantially sealed body, a brake to provide for the controlled paying out of the securing line, means defining an opening to permit said securing line to pass from the cable drum to the exterior of said body, said buoy being realeasable from said vessel when said vessel sinks, said cable drum permitting the buoy to surface upon its release while maintaining an anchoring connection between the buoy and the vessel, an oil container and means to cause oil automatically to be released from said oil container upon the separation of said buoy from the vessel on which it is normally mounted. 

1. An anchoring device for life rafts or life boats comprising a buoy, mooring means on said buoy of adequate strength to secure said life raft or life boat to said buoy, a securing line connected to said buoy, a cable drum for said securing line interiorly located in a substantially sealed body, a brake to provide for the contrOlled paying out of the securing line, means defining an opening to permit said securing line to pass from the cable drum to the exterior of said body, said buoy being releasable from said vessel when said vessel sinks, said cable drum permitting the buoy to surface upon its release while maintaining an anchoring connection between the buoy and the vessel, buoyant ropes secured to said buoy and means for releasing said ropes automatically when the buoy separates from the vessel to permit the buoyant ropes to stream out on the water.
 2. An anchoring device as in claim 1 in which the buoyant ropes have floats attached to their outer ends.
 3. An anchoring device as in claim 1 including a hold down means connected between said buoy and the vessel on which the buoy is mounted and a hydrostatic release adapted to disconnect said hold down means when the buoy has been submerged to a predetermined depth.
 4. An anchoring device as in claim 1 including a light on the buoy and means for automatically switching on said light upon the separation of the buoy from the vessel on which it is mounted.
 5. An anchoring device as in claim 1 including an automatic signalling device and means for energizing said automatic signalling device automatically upon the separation of the buoy from the vessel upon which it is normally mounted.
 6. An anchoring device as in claim 1 including a radar reflector mounted on the buoy.
 7. An anchoring device as in claim 1 in which there is a belled ferrule at the upper end of said conduit in which there is a recess in the bottom of said buoy and in which the belled ferrule projects into said recess to minimize water entering the conduit pipe and minimize cable wear.
 8. An anchoring device as in claim 1 in which said mooring means is a continuous rail.
 9. An anchoring device as in claim 1 in which the securing line is approximately 3,000 feet in length.
 10. An anchoring device as in claim 1 in which said buoy is mounted on a rack having upwardly diverging slanting sides to avoid the buoy jamming if the sinking ship lists.
 11. An anchoring device for life rafts or life boats comprising a buoy, mooring means on said buoy of adequate strength to secure said life raft or life boat to said buoy, a securing line connected to said buoy, a cable drum for said securing line interiorly located in a substantially sealed body, a brake to provide for the controlled paying out of the securing line, means defining an opening to permit said securing line to pass from the cable drum to the exterior of said body, said buoy being realeasable from said vessel when said vessel sinks, said cable drum permitting the buoy to surface upon its release while maintaining an anchoring connection between the buoy and the vessel, an oil container and means to cause oil automatically to be released from said oil container upon the separation of said buoy from the vessel on which it is normally mounted. 